Caro Kann Advance Variation by GM Magesh and GM Arun

This week we shall see the Caro-Kann's Advance Variation. Caro-Kann is a system where Black tries to maintain a healthy pawn chain and utilize White's weaknesses to win. Usually Black develops systematically in the opening without showing much aggression but in our article today we shall see an idea where Black shows early aggression unlike other super solid ideas in the caro-kann system.

In this system the complications arise much earlier in the opening phase of the game. Just like the poisoned pawn variation in the Najdorf system, here Black tries to grab the b2-pawn, delaying his kingside development. Usually this idea gives White a lot of compensation for the sacrificed pawn. But unlike the poisoned pawn variation where Black after grabbing the pawn will keep defending for a long time, here Black immediately develops an initiative by sacrificing material.

Since it was a blindfold rapid game there were a lot of mistakes on both sides yet the game was pretty interesting from the theoretical point of view. After 13.Bd2 Black could have easily seized the initiative with 13. ... c3 but instead he exchanged the dark bishops and soon allowed some counterplay for white. Our next game is Ni Hua-Ionov in which white came up with 12.Qd2 instead of Karjakin's 12.Qe1.

Even in this game Black never had any problems out of the opening. In fact he had good chances to score a full point. So for the time being the idea of grabbing the b2-pawn with the Queen is working out well for Black and White has to find an antidote to counter this idea. Till then this system is totally safe for Black players.